Refrigerator-car.



PATENTED JAN. 20, 1903.

G. G. PERKINS. REFRIGERATOR GAR. APPLICATION TILED MAY 1, 1902.

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GEORGE C. PERKINS, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF TWO-THIRDS TO THOMAS J. QUINN, HUGH HAGGERTY, AND THOMAS J. CLINTON, OF

DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

REFRIGERATOR=CAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 718,874, dated January 20, 1903. Application filed May 1, 1902, Serial No. 105,4'79. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE G. PERKINS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Refrigerator-Oars, of which the following is a specification, refer ence being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

to The invention relates to improvements in refrigerator-cars; and it is the object of the invention to provide means for ventilating the car so as to remove foul odors and dampness arising from the goods stored. At the same time the construction is such that this circulation of air does not cause the wasting of ice.

It is a further object to provide means for preventing the ingress of dust or cinders with the air-current.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in longitudinal section, of the car. Fig. 2 is a cros -section thereof. Fig... 3 is a plan of a portion of the car.

A is a refrigerator-car, which may be of any ordinary construction excepting as hereinafter set forth.

The interior of the car is divided horizontally into two compartments by a slatted partition I3, which forms the ice-supporting rack and below which is arranged the drip-pan O. The latter preferably tapers from the center to the sides of the car and is connected with suitable drip-pipes. (Not shown.) The slat-' ted partition B is supported upon cross-beams D, which in turn are centrally supported by a series of hangers E, depending from the carlines F. Below these carlines is a ceiling G, which extends the entire length of the car, 40 but has formed therein at intervals the hatchopening H, the latter connecting with openings in the root of the car, which are normally closed by hatches I. The sides of the car are lined, asinthe usual construction, bysuitable non-conducting material, (indicated at J,) which is secured to the inner face of the posts, thus leaving an air-space equal to the width of the post between said lining and the outer facing of the car. The ice-compartment which is formed above the slatted partition B may, if desired, be divided into a number of sections by slatted cross-partitions K, arranged at different points, and in order to keep the ice from contact with the sides of the car longitudinally-slatted partitions L are arranged adjacent to said sides. The car is provided with a usual door M, which opens into the lower compartment only.

With the construction as thus far described when ice is placed in the upper compartment above the slatted partition 13, being introduced through the hatch-opening H, the atmosphere within the car is cooled and circulation is established by reason of the greater gravity of cold air in contact with the ice, which will thus fall and displace the warm air below. It is evident, however, that if the car were entirely sealed an internal circulation only would take place, and thus the foul odors arising from the material stored in the car would be carried around and would permeate every portion. It is the object of the present construction to avoid this objection, and to this end means is provided for'constantly admitting the external air into contact with the ice above the slatted partition 13, and at the same time an exit-opening is provided for constantly discharging the foul air.

It is of course essential that the admission of air should be so governed and restricted as to prevent the unnecessary wasting of ice.

It is also desirable that the air which isdischarged should be at as high a temperature as possible. These results are obtained,first, by forming an indirect orstaggered inlet-passage for the admission of the air,which is arranged at one side of the car and opposite the ice-compartment, and, further, by arranging the exit-opening through the roof of the car and in direct communication with the airspace between the ceiling G and said roof.

The inlet-passages are formed, first, by a series of apertures N, formed in the outer facings of the car, and, secondly, by asecond series of apertures 0, formed in-the innerlining J, said apertures 0 being out of alinement with the apertures N. The effect of thus staggering the inlet-passages is that forced circulation is prevented, which might otherwise result from the movement of the car, especially when moving against the wind. Another result is that dust and cinders which are carried in through the apertures N by the air-current will be allowed to drop outin the chamber between the outer and inner wall of the car and will therefore not pass through the apertures O.

The apertures O are preferably arranged just above the horizontal partition B, so that the incoming air-current will be directed car as the apertures O the air will be compelled to return again and will finally drop through said passage P, being thoroughly cooled. The air dropping through the passage P will descend to the lower part of the storage-compartment and will gradually be distributed therethrough, being forced upward as its temperature is increased by contact with the warmer articles in the compartment.

The exit-passage for the air is formed first by a passage Q, which connects the lower or storage compartment with the space between the ceiling and the roof, said passage being located upon the opposite side of the car from that in which the apertures O and passageP are located. The air after rising through the passage Q will enter the compartment above the ceiling and will gradually pass over to the opposite side of the car, finally escaping through the outlet apertures R, formed through the roof. It is to be noted that the air is compelled to pass through an almost complete circuit, the inlet-apertures N and the exit-apertures B being but a short distance from each other and the latter being only sufficiently above the former to start the gravity circulation. Thus the circulation through the car will not be forced, but will be only sufficient to discharge the foul air. It is also desired to call attention to the fact that the air before discharging and in passing through the passage Q and between the ceiling and the roof will carry away the heat penetrating through the outer casing and roof of the car and will thus form a protection for the ice in the compartment below the ceiling.

While I have described my invention as applied to a refrigerator-car, it is evident that a building for cold storage might be constructed in a similar way and would have similar advantages resulting from the application of my improvements to the car.

What I claim as my invention is 1. In a refrigerator, the combination with a casing having hollow Walls, of a horizontal partitition dividing the space within said casing into an upper ice compartment and a lower storage -compartment, said compartments having air connection at one side but being shut ofi from each other at every other point, air-inlet passages formed through said hollow walls, the apertures in the outer and inner faces thereof being out of line with each other and being above said horizontal partition, and an air-outlet passage connecting with the upper end of said storage-receptacle at the side opposite the one having air connection with the said ice-receptacle.

2. In a refrigerator, the combination with a casing having hollow walls, of a horizontal partition dividing said easing into an upper ice-compartment and a lower storage-compartment, said compartments having air connection at one side of said partition but being shut off from each other at every other point, a vertical partition rising from the opposite side of said horizontal partition leaving an air-passage between the same and the side of the casing communicating with said lower compartment, a top horizontal partition covering said ice-compartment and leaving a space between the same and the top of said casing which communicates through said side passage with said lower compartment, an airinlet passage formed through said hollow wall communicating with said ice compartment and having the apertures through the outer and inner faces of the wall out of line with each other, and an eXitpassage from said chamber above said ice-compartment through the top wall of the casing.

3. A refrigerator-car, comprising hollow side walls formed by outer and inner facings, a horizontal partition dividing the space within said car into an upper ice-compartment and a lower storage-compartment, said compartments communicating with each other on one side of said partition, but being shut off at every other point, air-inlet apertures formed through said hollow wall com municating with saidice-compartment on the side which communicates with said lower compartment, said passages being formed out of line with each otherin the outer and inner facings of said hollow wall, a vertical partition rising from said horizontal partition at the opposite side of the car forming an air-passage between the same and the side wall of the car connecting with the lower compartment, and a ceiling above said ice-compartment secured to the under side of the roofcarlines so as to leave a space therebetween communicating through said side passage with the lower compartment, and having an exit-passage through the roof, for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE O. PERKINS.

Witnesses:

H. 0. SMITH, M. B. ODoeHnRTY. 

